Current Projects
Our projects explore how to scale experiential learning pathways that equitably serve low-income and lifelong learners. We are conducting research on the design, effectiveness, and long-term impact of work-integrated learning, digital credentialing, and skills-based education models. Our team is also piloting innovative tools and approaches—such as AI-supported learning assessments, cross-sector partnerships, and institutional change strategies—to better align education with real-world opportunity. Across all projects, we prioritize use-inspired research and experimentation to inform institutional innovation and policy design.
The Future of University Credentials
Executive Director Sean Gallagher’s 2016 book, The Future of University Credentials, published by Harvard Education Press, explores the evolution of the university credentialing ecosystem, with a particular focus on how employers’ hiring needs are changing, charting...
Industry-embedded Hubs
The future of higher education and corporate learning and development will involve greater use of experiential models that leverage the learning power of workplace-based experiences. Driven by extensive research on the needs of regional economies and corporate talent...
Co-development of Curriculum
Northeastern and the Center are pioneering the development and study of professionally-oriented higher education programs that are co-developed with employers, through both the EQUIP experimental site and numerous other corporate partnerships. Learn more
Experiential Learning as a Broad-based Talent Strategy
Project-based learning and capstone projects are a hallmark of the new forms of educational credentials emerging in the marketplace. Through initiatives such as the Experiential Network, or XN, Northeastern students earn more than just an education—they gain relevant,...